Reels

[FishingCreekEmerger]

hey all just got the Cabelas Fly catalog in the mail. how do you guys feel about the Scierra IC3 fly reel? for 80 bucks you get a reel and 3 extra spools. i am sure it cant be to terrific but for the price can one really go wrong??? most of my equiptment is Orvis. and i have a TFO rod that i love!!! anyway just thought i would get an opinion about the reel.

 

[Chetty82]

I was always told the reel is just a piece of jewelry and to put all the money into the rod I got a 50 dollar kit from wal-mart about 6-7 years ago I was only 20 at the time when I purchased I think and didnt know much about it but it catches my trout, fall fish, smallmouth, rock bass, and fall fish. So I am not dissapointed I think the action is a little on the heavy side cause it seems like I got to whip the heck outta the rod to get a beadhead wooly bugger across of course I think thats everybody. I am thinking about just upgrading the rod I am perfectly fine with the reel I have now.

 

[bigjohn58]

High quality reals are not necessary for PA trout fishing 99% of the time. Steelheads and maybe 1 or 2 very very large rivers in PA would it be necessary to have an expensive reel with a great drag system. All the reel does for me is hold my line...thats it!

 

[Chetty82]

Smallmouth so far is the only fish I have had to use the reel and had no problems today when I caught them.

 

[StudentofTheStream]

I agree with bigjohn in that if you're fishing for trout on local waters you really don't need a great expensive reel. Now this is coming from somewhat of a FF gear head as I especially like a well made reel.

My more expensive reels are for steelhead, salmon and stripers in the salt. I do have some nice reels in the 3-6wt range but didn't pay more than $100 for any of them. I just manage to find good deals or internet screw ups.

I always chuckle to myself when I see someone fishing a 2wt for brookies with a 300-500 dollar reel. Not that they don't look nice but what's the point? Just something to keep in mind.

To answer your question more specifically I have never seen or used the IC3 reel but I have owned and used the XDP which I was pretty impressed with for the price. See if you can find one around to tinker with before purchase.

 

[FishingCreekEmerger]

yeah i have a heavy salmon/steelhead setup. its a old 10w Redington reel on a sage 1390.....and my trous reels are Orvis Battenkills and i have 3 cabelas reels that i cant figure out i obtained.....like i stated i was just looking for opinions on the reel. i am 2 reels deep for all the rods i have but i thought it was a good deal for trout.

 

[gfen]

I spent alot of money on a reel that worked like the cheapest ones that they don't even produce anymore for lack of a useful drag.

Go figure.

And I expect I'll never even put a trout onto the reel so I can actually try my hand at palming the rim for drag, which is a shame because its one of the things I look forward to.

On the other, very important, hand I have a beautiful and uncommon reel that, to me, looks fantastic and feels great on the rod as well as having that traditional clacking noise that when I finally do get to put a trout onto it will sing to the heavens when it peels off line.

Sometimes, you pay for the little things. There's nothing wrong with it, and if you want it, have it, but it won't really make a difference in your fishing, and certainly not for trout.

Sometimes you pay for a Cabela's Prestige Plus and spend your savings on a good fly line instead.

My other rod has a $20 pot metal cast junker on it. It holds the line. Whereas my primary makes me feel good to use something that looks so good, this one is relegated to tool status. It does everything the other one does, at a 20th of its listed cost and it comes with an actual drag. I don't have a burning desire to replace it, because it fulfills its goal perfectly. Again, sometimes you don't pay for the little things.

 

[JoeE]

Small streams, I usually do not worry about the drag system; I like a nice small good looking reel. Now for big water, big fish and saltwater, I buy the best drag system I can afford.

 

[Spyder20oz]

What on earth are you going to do with 4 total spools?

 

[shakey]

i have come to prefer whole reels to extra spools.i usually get reels that are inexpensive and always bring an extra reel.reason being is an extra spool,unless packed in a bag,gets lube all over everything,an extra reel doesn't!

 

[Chetty82]

I thought about upgrading my fly-fishing system to the cabelas system they got going on right now for 150. Comes with nippers, a little chest pack, a rod tube, line, 2 tapered leaders, forceps, 2 retractable things (can't think of what they are called), floatant, and more items to follow just can't think of the rest. Nut I thought it was a good deal for 150 bucks and I figures it has got to be better than the 50 dollar combo I bought from wal-mart several years ago.

 

[gfen]

 

[bhickle]

I just recently started fly fishing, just started serious fishing 3 years ago. my uncle got me into bass fishing and taught me how to use a bait caster reel, and one day he showed me his fly rod and how to do a basic cast, later that fall i found a st croix fly rod on clearance at cabelas for 50 and i thought i can't pass this up so i bought it and i picked up a pflugger medalists fly reel to go with it and some of cabelas wf fly line,backing, and leader material, total cost was around 90 for everything. i really like the rod and the reel works really well. unfortunately my uncle doesn't fly fish much maybe once a year so i have been trying to teach myself, I must admit i didn't know much until i found this site, i want to really thank everyone for all of the great info here, i am enjoying this so much that i have been going every chance i get and i am even going to get my wife a fly rod so she can go with me(yes i am a lucky one who has a wife which loves to fish) back to the subject my 15 dollar reel has worked very well, the first fish i actually caught on my fly rod was a 2 and a half pound small mouth and i had no problem getting him in i don't have experience with premium gear but for a moderate amount of money i have been having a blast.

 

[ErnieBall]

For just beginning, dont get too crazy with the reel -- put your money in other things (tippet, rod, etc)

 

[wetnet]

If you have Orvis Battenkill reels why are you shopping for $80 reels with more spools than you need? Unless you're lake fishing the extra spools will sit in a box somewhere. I have a Lamson Konic. Not ridiculous in price. $129 with a lifetime warranty. Didn't need that nice of a reel most times, but when hooking up on big trout and smallmouth it's flawless. It's on an Orvis T3 tip flex fast action and the combo makes a nice casting set as well. Now $80 worth of tippet I could use.

 

[nickforry]

Has anyone tried the Cabelas large arbor reel in machined aluminum. I am thinking of paring one with a St. Croix Triumph 7'6" 4 weight rod.

 

[afishinado]

Cabelas had their SLA (Super Large Arbor) reels on sale for $50 a week or two ago. I bought one. I felt you couldn't go wrong at that price since they normally sell for more than 3X that price. While I haven't fished it, it appears to be well made. They are very light for their size, therefore I would guess it would balance out well on a 7'6" 4wt. Good luck.

 

[nickforry]

I am thinking of the same pairing. A cabelas large arbor reel with a St. Croix Triumph 7'6" 4 weight. Any advice?